Burning sacred herbs for emotional, psychological and spiritual purification is a common
practice of many spiritual traditions. My own smudge sticks are hand bound and dried from
herbs grown locally; harvested and made with care. The herbs used change as the seasons allow,
but revolve around sage and rosemary. Smudging a space or a person can work wonders before a
big event or celebration, after an argument, or any time you and your environment needs a lift.
They can also be used to cleanse crystals or other objects of negative energies.
As smudge sticks are natural products, they are more temperamental than standard incense. They
may take a little time to light, or a little time to put out. Light your smudge stick gently
(over a candle flame is easiest), and blow out the flame once the smudge stick starts to
smoulder. Fan the swirls of smoke around the body or over the object to be cleansed; or fan
the smoke throughout the room with your hand or even a feather. When finished, damp out the
smudge stick somewhere fireproof, such as a shell, glass or a small ceramic dish of sand; and
always make sure the smudge stick is out before leaving it.
I occasionally have batches of my smudge sticks for sale, and hope to step up our herb growing
this spring to supply demand. Although I would not trust them to the postal system, they can be
bought locally, and there is a link to my contact details above and below.
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